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Gambling - help, turn into something else

Csemete

Hello, my friend has Aspergers. He started gambling quite a long time ago, however this has gone out of control lately, because he has been borrowing too much money. I was just wondering if someone would have any ideas I could recommend for him to try, instead of gambling. I was wondering if would it be possible to shift the things he likes in gambling into another activity.

He likes that he is completely focused on one thing, the adrenalin rush, the understandong of the features of different websites and the details of the game.

Does someone have any ideas that might be benefitial for him?

thank you

  • yes chess is very addictive

  • there's chess. blitz, fast, tournament... it's intense, focused, stress. walter brown, us chess champion and one of the greats (died a couple years ago) made his living gambling... i know he frequented card rooms, etc. some other chess guys love gambling. so there's a connection between those addictions. some get addicted to chess.

  • in reply to Bumblebee

    thank you very much for sharing your story.

  • in reply to Bumblebee

    [spam post deleted by moderator]

  • I am fighting this every day and now have been just over a year bet free! It’s very tough and I find I have moments that are easier than others but I’m very aware how much a problem it gets for me. I play lot lots of other games to try and fill that gap and it just about works but I have moments where I am close to really wanting to go again.

    i enjoyed betting on sports and justified how much I would spend as I don’t really go out or spend money on things other people would .. it was when I got the free spins or bets for other games I would then end up down that dangerous path. I got into lots of debt and had to permanently ban myself from any form of online gambling. 

    it’s been particularly tough the last few weeks with sport starting again and feeling the itch to want to bet. I know it’s a slippery slope when I do look to make a bet so I’m doing my upmost to stay away.

    any other ideas I’d be keen to hear as the games do tick a box in some sense but it isn’t quite the same and I have to keep very busy to keep my mind off it.

  • Huh... I work in a casino and see gambling addicts frequently, it's not an easy one to break as it's legal. What's worse is the governmemt have relaxed all the laws restricting us from advertising etc so it's a free for all. I have my own addiction to drugs which has come about due to struggling with Asperger's, so I get the size of the problem, once we're focussed, it's a tough one to get us to move on.

    I am actually trying to deal with mine, but I had to get to a very very low point before I could admit to myself that I needed to deal with it. I fear that may be the same for your friend, if he/she does not want to change they won't.

    I used to have an addiction to an online MMPORG, I couldn't stop but it didn't hurt me financially or mentally (in my case). Could you maybe try shifting your friend to onine gambling, rather than in the casino and then maybe get to get them to play some sort of competetive (that's important for the rush) online game ? How old are they ? Not that it matters really, I was playing eve online until 18 months ago and I am 44.

    There are organisations like gamcare and gambler's anonymous but that would require your friend to admit they have a problem. I wouldn't normally suggest trying to move someone away from there "aspie focus" but I understand the focus is potentially very damaging, so maybe try incrementally moving him/her to something else competetive, but I don't know how much success you'll have with that.

  • Competitive pokemon on Pokemon Showdown.

    No, really. It works.

  • As well as the help to stop gambling maybe try some boardgames? try ones with a push your luck mechanism or lots of rules to learn which might be better simulations of gambling 

    Lots if ideas on boardgamegeek.com including one player games

  • These guys are good too.. but in North London

    http://www.betknowmoreuk.org/

    Bob -Mod

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